If butterflies were to play hide and seek, Gonepteryx rhamni would be the undisputed champion: this butterfly really looks like a flying leaf and with its wings at rest makes it almost impossible to be spotted while resting on an olive tree (whose scientific name is: rhamnus), its favorite plant.
On the other hand, the motto "the chip doesn't fall far" sounds perfectly at place, here. Indeed, if it's true that "Gonepteryx" comes from the union of the Greek words "gonia" (angle. That's right: 'member the goniometer...?) and "pterux" ("wing"), we see why it is hard for anyone to spot it in a quiet corner of the foliage. This butterfly belonging to the Pieridae family is widespread and common throughout Europe with the exception of Scotland and northern Scandinavia. Other than Europe, it is also found in Morocco, Algeria and all of temperate Asia as far as Western Siberia and Mongolia. While most butterflies have very strict habitat requirements and thus their distribution is localized, Gonepteryx rhamni is highly mobile and can be seen in almost any habitat within its range. A butterfly of this species can roam many miles from its birthplace, breeding with butterflies from other areas. This helps to maintain a high level of genetic diversity, resulting in a resilient species that is highly adaptable and not subject to large fluctuations in the number of individuals in the population from year to year.